Driven by the motto "From Imagination to Reality" describing architecture, Ar. Manita Saxena is shaping the future architects of India as the principal of an architecture school. With her commitment to excellence and to sustainable design, Ar. Saxena, emphasizes the role of architects in building safe and sustainable spaces and environments.

Manita Saxena is the Principal of the School of Architecture, IPS Academy, Indore. Contributing to the institution for the past 21 years, she is an Architect by heart and an Administrator by head. Serving society through the fields of Architecture and Academia, she has been nurturing young minds for the past 28 years.

Talking about the institution, Principal Manita Saxena mentions that, established in 1994, the School of Architecture at IPS Academy, Indore, has been a pioneer in shaping architects in central India. This institution has significantly grown under the visionary leadership of its President Ar. Achal K. Choudhary.

The School of Architecture, IPSA, Indore, stands strong with 2000+ students and with its alumni spread across the globe. The institute is synonymous with excellence, ensuring a bright and promising future for the architects of tomorrow. They work under the tagline, “From Imagination to Reality.”

In the past 31 years, IPS Academy, Indore, has grown tremendously to over 16 colleges, 76 courses, 500 teachers, and 10,000+ students. With its impressive infrastructure spread over 61 acres of lush green campus, the different institutions at IPS Academy are housed separately with state-of-the-art facilities, well-designed classrooms and modern laboratories, and are served by qualified and skilled teachers. IPS Academy stands on 3 pillars -  Identity, Ignite, and Innovate.

Ar. Manita Saxena shares that her vision at the School of Architecture is to “Create a class of future leaders who believe in choosing a successful life rather than settling for anything less.” At the SOA, they guide the students in a manner to let them understand the difference between what they have and what they truly deserve. The students are deeply imbibed with the thought that all their dreams can come true if they have the courage to pursue them.

Ar. Manita Saxena explains that Architecture is a much-needed profession of today’s times, which can help in shaping the cities and villages, and thus the lives of the growing population. She highlights the need for safe houses and sustainable atmospheres and also focuses on saving energy while constructing buildings. Architecture does not just help in creating beautiful buildings but also helps in improving the quality of life.

Ar. Saxena underlines the increasing need for Architects and Design Professionals in today’s changing times. The School of Architecture, IPS Academy focuses on ensuring that the students are well prepared for the future with theoretical and practical skills and exposure to real-world challenges.

Born and raised in Bhopal, Ar. Manita Saxena was brought up in a very progressive environment. Her parents encouraged her to gain good qualifications and become a responsible citizen. She completed her Architecture Degree from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal (MANIT). While pursuing her bachelor's degree, she started teaching at Sardar Vallabhbhai Polytechnic College, Bhopal. In 2009, she completed her Masters Degree in Architecture, and all this collectively made her realize that learning, teaching, and studying have no age limits. Later, she also completed her PhD degree on a topic related to social transformation.

After completing the B.Arch degree from the MSCT College, Bhopal (now known as MANIT) in 1996, she decided to pursue a postgraduate degree later in 2007. Due to a long gap of 11 years, and the responsibility of managing her family and two young daughters, she faced some challenges in this span of her career. Yet, it proved to be one of her most rewarding experiences, and in 2022, she completed her doctorate degree from MANIT, Bhopal. She achieved this milestone simultaneously along with working as Principal of the School of Architecture at IPS Academy, Indore. She acknowledges that she received unwavering support from her husband, along with the entire family and her colleagues. Ar. Saxena truly believes that time, age, or social responsibilities cannot restrict anyone from reaching the heights of their career.

Ar. Manita Saxena admires judicious, positive-minded, and diligent people rather than just intelligent people. She firmly believes in working with positive people around her. The quote that always inspires her is :

“पंखों से कुछ नहीं होता, हौसलों से उड़ान होती है, मंज़िल उन्हीं को मिलती है, जिनके सपनों में जान होती है ! ”

Ar. Saxena believes that one can definitely achieve success by working hard towards their dreams. She always shares her favorite quotation with an aim to inspire her students to recognise the value of hard work and dedication to achieve their goals. Ar. Manita Saxena also talks about the importance of time, and how the key to success is not in spending time but in investing it.

Advising the budding architects, Ar. Manita Saxena suggests seeing every chance as an opportunity to grow. She recommends always keeping learning and staying open to new ideas.

To excel in the ever-changing field of architecture, she suggests attending events and interactive workshops to meet new people and learn from their experiences. She recommends developing creativity and increasing your skills in designing software like AutoCAD, Revit, etc., and working on problem-solving skills. She suggests staying up-to-date with technology, doing research, and paying attention to detail to ensure that your design is creative and addresses practical aspects.

Advising the young generation, Ar. Manita says that their energy, creativity, and determination can bring meaningful change to the nation. She underlines how knowledge is a tool to innovate and solve the challenges we face today. She suggests staying curious and open-minded, to keep exploring new ideas while learning from different perspectives, and staying rational. Ar. Saxena says that one must never demotivate themselves.

She walks by the quote, “Success comes to those who work hard and stays with those who don’t rest on past laurels.”